How to feed raspberry plants

Lisa Chinn

Raspberry plants produce popular fruits, which taste delicious and provide vitamins. The berries ripen during summer and are relatively easy to care for. The plants need nutrients from the soil, which means that gardeners need to occasionally feed raspberry plants to keep them producing abundant tasty fruit. Feeding raspberries is relatively easy with a few supplies and care steps.

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Put a layer of mulch around the base of newly established raspberry plants, as recommended by the National Gardening Association. The mulch will smother weeds but will also release nutrients into the soil that feed the raspberry plants.

Add some composted leaves and manure around the base of newly established raspberry plants to add extra nutrients to the mulch.

Apply some 10-10-10 ratio fertiliser to the plants each year during early spring. Both Ohio State University and the University of Illinois recommend fertilising them before spring growth begins. Use 6.8 to 9.07 Kilogram of fertiliser per 1000 sq. ft. or about a half cup of fertiliser per plant. Use a dry fertiliser and sprinkle it on top of the soil near the base of each plant.

Feed the raspberry plants a second time with the same 10-10-10 fertiliser a couple months after the first fertiliser application (usually in May), as recommended by Ohio State University.

Tip

Raspberries generally do well with mulch, compost and 10-10-10 fertiliser. However, soil testing can provide information about even more specific nutrient requirements if the plants do not seem to be growing as much as they should. Local gardening stores offer at home soil testing kits, and local nurseries and universities usually also perform soil tests. Get the soil checked to see whether the raspberries could benefit from lime or sulphur to raise or lower the soil pH and whether the soil lacks any specific nutrients.

References

About the Author

Lisa Chinn developed her research skills while working at a research university library. She writes for numerous publications, specializing in gardening, home care, wellness, copywriting, style and travel. Chinn also designs marketing materials, holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology and is working toward a PhD in cognitive neuroscience.